Antibacklash reel



Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTIBACKLASH REEL Frank J. Hoot, Tulsa, Okla.

Application July 18, 1950, Serial No. 174,400

8 Claims.

This invention pertains to fishing reels and more particularly to improvements in means for automatically preventing unwinding of the line from the spool of the reel, whenever there is no tension on the line.

This invention is particularly adaptable to reels which are used for casting to prevent so called backlash of the reel when the cast is completed or the line stops at any distance out from the reel.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an anti-backlash mechanism that is free of tension or friction on the reel, thereby permitting a longer cast.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anti-backlash mechanism that has a minimum of working parts and is automatic in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an anti-backlash mechanism a sensing element or line bail that is not acted upon by spring means to detect tension and slackness in the line leading from the reel and at the same time acts as a direct operator to arrest the rotation of the reel When the line becomes slack.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in an anti-backlash mechanism a ratchet wheel that is rotatably mounted on the reel or spool and has a biasing spring connected at one end to the spool and at the other end to the ratchet wheel to act as a brake to stop the rotation of the reel when the ratchet wheel is prevented from rotating by action of the line bail when the line becomes slack.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a reel a first means for retarding the rota-.

tion of the reel in response to slackness in a line leading from the reel and a second means for preventing rotation of the reel in response to slack-ness in the line leading from the reel, said first and second means being adapted to act in sequence or simultaneously.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in an anti-backlash mechanism for a reel, a drum which is spring biased to the reel with the drum having ratchet teeth and a brake band portion, a brake band which isnormally tensioned to engage the brak band portion and a line bail which is pivoted in the frame of the reel and operably responsive to a condition of the line leading from the reel having portions on the bail which are adapted to engage the brake band and the ratchet teeth, whereby upon the line being tensioned the line bail is pivotally held so that it holds the brake band from engagement with the drum and when the line is slack the 2 bail permits the brake band to engage its brake band portion to retard the rotation of the drum and reel and a portion of the line bail also engages a ratchet tooth to stop the rotation of the drum and reel. 1

A still further object of the invention is to provide an anti-backlash mechanism that has a minimum of simple working parts that will not get out of order and are not affected by dirt, dampness or water, yet are economical to manufacture and assemble.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples are given by way of illustration only and, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are not given by way of limitation, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a reel in which is incorporated the line bail, the drum with ratchet wheel portion and its connection to th reel in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed fragmentary side view showing the drum and its ratchet Wheel portion rotatably mounted on the end of the reel and its spring bias connection to the reel;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the line bail operator held by the tensioned fishing line in a pivotal position wherein its ratchet wheel engaging portion is held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel portion of the rotatably mounted drum;

Figure 4 is a View similar to that of Figure 3 wherein the fishing line leading from the reel is slack and the line bail is Permitted to pivot in a clockwise direction so that its ratchet wheel engaging portion is in engagement with a ratchet wheel portion;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic end view showing the ratchet wheel portion with the central end portion broken away to illustrate its spring biasing connection to the spindle oi the reel with the ratchet wheel engaging portion of the line bail p t d ut f agement with the ratchet wheel when in the tensioned line condition as shown in Figure 3;

Figure "6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 but showing the ratchet wheel engaging portion of the line bail in operative engagement with a ratchet tooth on the ratchet wheel as occurs when the line bail is permitted to pivot when the fishing line is slack as illustrated in Fig ure4;

Figure 7 illustrates a modification in my antibacklash mechanism which includes a resilient brake band encircling a drum having two teeth on its ratche whee portion with theban i sacgsesemcn w t 'i ruma roperating portion on th line bail in cooperating engagement with a free end of the brake band; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, bgut showing the condition of the resilient brake hand held out of engagement with the drum by the line bail when the line bail is heldz in aypiyoted-position away from the axis of the reel when the fishing line such as in Figure 3 is in a taut-condition.

Throughout the-various-figures in :the. drawing glike -;ref rence characters ref er to corresponding parts.

1 haveillustrated in Figure 1. a customaryrfishing line reel as generally indicated at [.0 having a frame comprising endhousingsl I and 12; cross struts;l3: andaamounting.bracketi tfl. The reel .-:also-* includes the customary reel: hand crank generally, indicated: 217115 :and:.traversing mechanism generally indicated :at I 6 and '16 1: Mounted in the frame is a reel proper .vl lfl havingaends *I'i .and'zjl I and a fishing-line l8, reeledthereonand =.extending ith eref-rom.

"qReferring =t Figure '2 there isxillustrated spindle lhforthe-reel n :with the righthand enditlmof"ther-reel shown. Spindle I9 is jour- {nai ed-M 120:inthe right vha-ndaend housing: H whileitheileftyhandeend issimilarzjournaled (but snoteshownid-mtheleft hand end housing 12. 'In

accordance withm-yinvention spindlelil-is pro- --videdtwith at shouldered concentric; circular-z bearportion1=2l on which Irotatably mount a drum generally indicated at 22 :havi-nga some- =w-hat..-.cup- ;shape .which extends :-inward1y. -as a drum portion at 23 whileithe 4301171011124, in roitaryfiengagement with .the spindle t9, .1 ;-.term the ratchetewheel portion. 4A coiled spring 925-is.con- :nectedtatitsiinnerenchto :a lug '26 on spindle 19 while its outeriendristconnectedtto :thedrum gen- -.-erallyindicated-.ati-Z. byz-means -of.a lug12l ex- --2the journaled end 2070f spindleti9.

Referring-again-to; Figure 1, there is illustrated :accordinga-to. my invention a line bail generally @shown :atr3l which has :ends *32 and 33 pivoted respectively in suitable apertures :formed in the sendeplatesi Hand 12. Theiline-bail 3l-is of'a lihailzshape; having,- :an intermediate portion34 co- -extensive with1the1line receiving portion of the wheel ul'land -',und er'-which ;the:traversed:line I 8 irisflediaszitrextendsmutward from the-reel. Each eend'iportioniofgtheiline'.bail';'3l is of a somewhat scrankzshapeiorm to clear the contour of the end portions I1 and ll" of the reel H. Howtdvers thazright :hand-end zporntion; as. indicated at 5. 0., .rlfigures; 1,: 3 ,1 .7 :and;:8aservesas;-;an-.; operat ing engaging portion for the brake band shown in Figures '7 and 8 to be subsequently described. The right hand end of the line bail 3! at 32 extends on to the right or outward slightly past the end housing II, thence inwardly as viewed in Figure 1 at 35 in parallel relation to the housing II and lies within a plane containing the ends 32 and 33 and the intermediat portion 34. The extremegihner end 36exte 1ds at, right angles .to the- -portion 35 andiinwardlyzthrough an arcuate slot 31 formed in the end' housing II and term this a spool or ratchet wheel engaging portion that extends from the line bail 3|. I

jhageshown in Figures 3 and 4 an abutment plate 38 which is secured to the outer surface of the end housing H which serves as a stop to limit the clockwise; pivotal movement of the bail portion ,35 asviewed in Figures 3 and 4.

In Figures 5 and 6 there is best shown the configuration of the ratchet wheel portion 24 having four.v equally spaced:ratohetteeth tfi. The centraL-area :of:;the ratchet-:wheel portion 124 ,is broken; away;so as :to'depict'. the;mounting;of jthe fiat coil spring'25 connected -.at126 to reelorspool spindle l9 and at 21 to the-inner periphery of .theidrum portion 237 In Figure:5,':-the, spool or ratchet wheel engaging portion: 35-;-36"of1the:line:bail 3| is shown out" of engagement with the teeth -40 on: the

ratchet wheel 24 as it is held in this position by theptautline i8; as shown in-Figure 3 leading from the reel .-as when :zthezfishingiline riszpaying .out

when casting. The flat. coilr sprin g25 is. shown expanded in biasing the ratchet .wheelo 24 from the reel or spool= spindle I 9.

ReferringHtoJFigure 6 thearrangement of the partsof' Figure 5 are shown when'the line bail fllihas pivoted clockwise underuits :own weight since :thetformertaut; line it of Figure 3 is now slack as :shown in Figure 4 ,as the cast hasvbeen completed or the line advance hasbeen stopped.

The ratchet wheeLengagingportion' 35-.33-of the line-bailfi3l are shownin engagement'zwith'one of the teeth :49 onxthe ratchet'wheel 24 whereupon rotation of=theratchetwheel is stopped-and spring-2.5 coils'into a tight condition, thereby arresting the rotation of spindle I 9 to which: the inner'end of-the spring is attached. This action varrests the rotation of the reel or spool |'l.and on slack occurring in line l8, .the line bail'3l is responsive thereto in pivoting clockwise, as in Figure 4, to assume the position as shown in Figure 6. As soon as-the momentum of thereel or spool I! is arrested, as shown in Figure '6, the

r tightened spring 25 :tends to-resume itsformer uncoiled condition-and in so'doing spends its energy in uncoiling by causing the'reel or spool ll ,to-rotate in the reverse direction fromthat .of-paying out line so as to'reel in the line and thereby it tends to take up the slack in the line I8.

In'the anti-backlash mechanism according to my invention it will be noted'that the line bail is. substantially free of 'friction except at its journalportions 32 and 33 which is'negligible. This arrangement ofthe parts in my anti-backlash-mechanism tends to put little; if-any, drag on the'line l8 when casting out the line; yet the line bail portion 34 which rests lightly on the taut line 3 in casting is'fully-responsive to the taut condition of the line to hold the spool or ratchet'wheel engaging portion out of engagement with itsratchet wheel. Just assoonas the line {IBM-becomes slack, the line bail engagingpor- -tioni:34 is resnonsive to: the slack condition and the line bail 3| pivots as it is unsupported and the ratchet or spool engaging portion 3536 of the bail is operably responsive to the pivotal movement of the bail toward the axis of the spool or reel.

By referring to Figures 3 and 4, it will be clearly observed that the line engaging portion 34 of the line bail 3| pivots from a position in Fig ure 3 which is away from the axis of the reel I! to a position nearer to the axis-of the reel I! as shown in Figure 4, thereby making the integral portion of the line bail at 35--36 which engages the ratchet wheel, responsive" to this movement of the Whole line bail3l'." v In Figures-7 and 8 there is disclosed an adde feature which provides for incorporatingabrake band generally indicated at 4!. For purposesof more clearlyillustrating this added braking feature, the spring 25 has been omitted from .the Figures 7 and '8; In this construction the drum which is rotatably mounted on spindle l9 of the reel is generally like the drum 22 in the other figures, however the ratchet wheel portion at 24' is provided with only two oppositely disposed teeth 40'. As in the previously described conas previously described is pivoted at '32 and 33- with pivot 32 only shown in Figures 7 and 8. The line engaging intermediate portion is outlined at 34 and fthe tooth engaging portion of the line bail- The brake band 4| is shown is outlined'at 36. with its free end 43 unsupported by the line bail portion din Figure '7 which is a conditionwhen the line b ailis unsupported by the line l8 when that line 'isslack. The brake band 4! in this condition ofFigure 7 grasps the brake band portion'23 of the drum and slows down the rotation of the drum "during which slowingdown of rotation thetooth 40" will rotate clockwiseuntil it-is intercepted bythe toothengaging portion 36 "on the line bail, whereupon'therotation of the drum and ratchet wheel will be stopped.

In Figure 8 I have shown the line bail 3! in. its positionwhen pivoted up by the taut line it as ShOWn'in the Figure 3 condition. In this upwardly pivoted position of the line bail, portion a thereof engages under' the loop 43 and raises it so as to hold the brake band' llaway from contact with its cooperating brake band portion 23' on the drum and ratchet wheel, thus permitting free rotation of the drum, generally indicated at 22 in Figure 2, and the reel or spool l1 interconnected by the spring 25 to the drum and ratchet wheel.

In making a cast of the'line' using my antibacklash mechanism the sensitive [line bail 3| is pivoted away from the axis of thereel by the taut line 'I.B..as.shown in Figure 3. ,In this con" dition of the line bail the brake band 4| is held.

out ofeng'age'ment with the brake band portion 23 as shown in Figure 8 andthe reel I1 is per;

anism that I have devised, this rotation 01 the reel I1 is first retarded then stopped and then reversed so as to prevent backlash and paying out further of the line l8 at the reel which is desired to be avoided. Firstly, the line bail tends to be unsupported at its intermediate portion 34 by the line l8 as the line is not now as taut. The line bail portion 34 approaches nearer the axis of the reel I1 and at-this time its portion a moves to the position in Figure 7 where it allows the brake band 4| to engage its cooperating brake band portion 23' and slow down its rotation and in turn through the spring connection 25, as above described,the rotation of the intercon= nected reel or spool l1. Secondly, the tooth 40 comes into engagement with the line bail ratchet wheel engaging portion 36 and the rotation of the drum'is stopped.

Thirdly, the momentum of rotation of the reel I'l then tends to wind up spring 25 in its limit'and in turn the rotation of the reel H is stopped.- Fourthly, the energy stored up in coiling of spring 25 is released to reverse the rotation of the reel ll from what it was when paying out line i8 so as to now wind in the line Iii-and take the slack out of the line.

The anti-backlash mechanism according to I my invention is practically free of friction thus permitting a long cast to be made without dragging interference of the mechanism. Yet my anti-backlash mechanism is easily manufactured, is automatic in operation and will not get out of order or require adjustment. I

I claim as my invention:

ing from said spool to engagesaid ratchet wheel andiprevent rotation comes slack. I

2. 1m a fishing reel having a frame including end= housings and a spool journaled "in the endhousings, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on" the spool, a biasing spring connected at one end to saidspool and at theother end to said ratchet wheel, a line bail pivotally mounted on" said framasaid' 'bailbeing adapted tobe supported in; a pivoted'position remote from the'aXis-of said spool by a line leading from said spool in a tent condition, and a ratchet wheel engaging portion extendingfrom said linebail and towardsaid-ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel engaging portion of the bail being operably responsive'to pivoted"movement of said bail toward the axisof said spool whensaidline becomes slack to engage said ratchet wheel and prevent rotation thereof and thereby spool.

3. In a fishing reel havinga frame including end h'ousings 'and 'a spool journaled in the end;

usings; aratchet wheel rotatably mounted on the spool." a biasing sprin'g connected at one end tothe spool and at the other end to "the ratchet wheel, a line bail having its ends pivotally 'jour naled in said end housings and adapted to be supported in a pivotal position remote from the axis of said spool by ajline leading from said spool in a taut condition, and a ratchet wheel engaging portion extending from one of the thereof when said line be-- arrest the rotation of the jou'rnaled end's ofrsa'id line bail and back through anopening provided in'the adjacent end housing for cooperative engagement with said ratchet wheel,.said ratchet wheel engaging portion being operably responsive to pivoted movement of said bail toward the axis-of said spool when the line becomes slack thereby engaging and stopping the rotation of said ratchet wheel and arresting the rotation of said spool.

4. In a fishing reel of the character described in claim 3 wherein there is included a transverse bar extending between said end housings in greater spaced relationship to the axis of said spool than said line bail for supporting said line leading, from said spool.

5. In a fishing reel having a frame including end housings and a spool journaled in the end housings, said spool having a plurality of ratchet teeth extending from a peripherial portion thereof and a brake band engaging portion, a resilient brake band surrounding the brake band engaging portion of said spool and having one end anchored to said frame and the other end free; said resilient brake band normally tending to grip said brake band portion when the free end of the band is unsupported, a line bail having its ends pivotally journaled in said end housings and adapted to be supported in a pivoted position remote from the axis of said spool by a line leading from said spool in a taut condition,

said line bail having a portion thereof adapted for supporting engagement with said free end of the brake band to hold it out of engagement with said brake band portion on the spool when the line leading from said spool is taut and supporting said bail, otherwise when said line is slack permitting said free end to move and the resilient band to engage and retard rotation of said spool, said line bail also having a ratchet tooth engaging portion extending from one of the journaled ends of said line bail and back through an opening provided in the adjacent end housing for cooperative engagement with said ratchet teeth on the spool, said ratchet tooth engaging portion on the bail being operably responsive to pivoted movement of said ball toward the axis of said spool when the line becomes slack thereby engaging and stopping the rotation of said spool.

6. In a fishing reel having a frame including end housings and a spool journaled in the end housings, a drum rotatably mounted on the spool and having a plurality of ratchet teeth extending from a peripherial portion thereof and a brake band engaging portion, a biasing spring connected at one end to the spool and at the other end to said drum, a resilient brake band surrounding the brake band portion of said drum and having one end anchored to said frame and the other end free, a line bail having its ends pivotally journaled in said end housings and adapted to be supported in a pivoted position remote from the axis of said spool by a line leading from said spool in a taut condition, said line bail having a portion thereof adapted for supporting engagement with said free end of the brake band to hold it out of engagement with said drum when the line leading from said spool is taut and supporting said bail, otherwise when said line is slack permitting said free end to move and the resilient band to engage and retard rotation of the drum and spool, said line bail also having a ratchet tooth engaging portionv extending from one of. the journaled ends of said line bail and back through an opening provided in the adjacent end housing for cooperative engagement with said ratchet teeth on the drum, said ratchet tooth engaging portion on the bail being operably responsive to pivoted movement of said bail toward the axis of said spool when the line becomes slack thereby engaging and stopping the rotation of said drum and arresting the rotation of said spool.

'7. In a fishing reel having a frame including end housings and a spool journaled in the end housings, a ratchet wheel mounted on an end of said spool adjacent the inner face of one of the end housings which has an opening therein, and a line bail extending between and pivotally mounted at its ends in said end housings and adapted to be supported in a pivotal position remote from the axis of said spool by a line leading from said spool in a taut condition, said line bail having a ratchet wheel engaging portion extending from one end thereof and projecting back through said opening in the end housing adjacent thereto where the ratchet wheel engaging portion of said bail cooperatively engages with said ratchet wheel when the line becomes slack.

8. In a fishing reel having a frame including end housings and a spool journaled in the end housings, said spool having a plurality of ratchet teeth extending from a peripherial portion thereof and a brake engaging portion, an. elongated flexible strip wound around the brake engaging portion of said spool and having one end anchored to said frame and the other end free, said flexible strip normally tending to grip said brake engaging portion when the free end of the strip is unsupported, a line bail having its end pivotally journaled in said end housings and adapted to be supported in a pivotal position remote from the axis of said spool by a line leading from said spool in a taut condition, said line bail having a portion thereof adapted for supporting engagement with said free end of said elongated flexible strip to hold it out of engagement with said brake engaging portion on the spool when the line leading from said spool is taut and supporting said bail, otherwise when said line is slack permitting said free end to move and the flexible strip to engage and retard rotation of said spool, said line bail also having a ratchet tooth engaging portion fixed thereto and extending therefrom for cooperative engagement with said ratchet teeth on the spool, said ratchet tooth engaging portion. fixed to the line bail being operably responsive to pivotal movement of said bail toward the axis of said spool when the line becomes slack there; by engaging a tooth on said ratchet wheel and stopping the rotation of said spool.

FRANK J. HOOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,971,470 Watson Aug. 28, 1934 2,272,834 Drautz Feb. 10, 1942 2,501,378 Cintron Mar. 21, 1950 

